Used-Car ‘Time Bomb’ Expected to Drag on U.S. Auto Sales

It’s going to be tough to beat last year’s record U.S. sales of 17.55 million cars and trucks, according to a new study released Wednesday by AlixPartners. The consultancy expects a total of more than 1 million vehicles to come off lease last year and this year, creating a “used-car time bomb” that drags on demand for new autos. For the last 11 months, discounts on new vehicles have averaged more than 10 percent off the sticker price, a historical harbinger of automotive downturns, AlixPartners said.